It has been an eventful year on the NBA’s coaching carousel. Within the last 12 months, nearly a third of the NBA’s teams (nine of 30) have made head coaching changes.
Those changes impacted four of the eight longest-tenured coaches in the NBA. Mike Budenholzer (Bucks), Dwane Casey (Pistons) and Nick Nurse (Raptors) were among just seven head coaches who had been employed by their respective teams since 2018 (or earlier), but all three were dismissed – or, in Casey’s case, transitioned to a new role – at the end of the 2022/23 season. Monty Williams, who had been with the Suns since the spring of 2019, was also among the coaches let go in the last year.
Given the turnover in the head coaching ranks, it’s time we update our list sorting the NBA’s 30 head coaches by when they were hired. Here’s the current breakdown of the league’s longest-tenured head coaches by team:
- Gregg Popovich, Spurs: December 1996
- Erik Spoelstra, Heat: April 2008
- Steve Kerr, Warriors: May 2014
- Michael Malone, Nuggets: June 2015
- Taylor Jenkins, Grizzlies: June 2019
- J.B. Bickerstaff, Cavaliers: February 2020
- Tom Thibodeau, Knicks: July 2020
- Billy Donovan, Bulls: September 2020
- Tyronn Lue, Clippers: October 2020
- Mark Daigneault, Thunder: November 2020
- Chris Finch, Timberwolves: February 2021
- Rick Carlisle, Pacers: June 24, 2021
- Chauncey Billups, Trail Blazers: June 27, 2021
- Jason Kidd, Mavericks: June 28, 2021
- Jamahl Mosley, Magic: July 11, 2021
- Wes Unseld Jr., Wizards: July 17, 2021
- Willie Green, Pelicans: July 22, 2021
- Mike Brown, Kings: May 2022
- Darvin Ham, Lakers: June 3, 2022
- Steve Clifford, Hornets: June 24, 2022
- Will Hardy, Jazz: June 29, 2022
- Joe Mazzulla, Celtics: September 2022
- Note: Mazzulla became the Celtics’ interim head coach in September 2022 and was named the permanent head coach in February 2023.
- Jacque Vaughn, Nets: November 2022
- Quin Snyder, Hawks: February 2023
- Ime Udoka, Rockets: April 2023
- Nick Nurse, Sixers: June 1, 2023
- Monty Williams, Pistons: June 2, 2023
- Adrian Griffin, Bucks: June 5, 2023
- Frank Vogel, Suns: June 6, 2023
- Darko Rajakovic, Raptors: June 13, 2023
While there are no surprises at the very top of this list, Jenkins’ spot in the top five reflects how short the typical tenure for an NBA head coach is — he has moved that high despite having coached the Grizzlies for only four seasons.
Similarly, 20 of the NBA’s 30 head coaches have only been employed by their current teams since 2021 and have no more than two full seasons under their belt.
The Grizzlies have 2 head coaches!
Isn’t Rajakovic the Raptors HC?
Hah, yes, that’s been fixed, thanks.
Technically yes, but maybe not for long!